Girls hoops | Sandburg team shakes off the rust

Lauren O'Leary has helped Sandburg girls basketball team win 10 of its first 13 games this season.

Lauren O'Leary has helped Sandburg girls basketball team win 10 of its first 13 games this season. (Jeff Vorva, Special to the Tribune)

Jeff VorvaChicago Tribune

The Eagles won 9 straight after an 0-2 start

Graduation and the transfers of budding stars Julia and Kate Ruzevich left Sandburg's girls basketball team with a lot of question marks.

The Eagles are answering those questions with exclamation points.

Sandburg took some roster hits but opened the season with a 10-3 record, which included a 10-game winning streak and a second-place finish in the Oak Lawn Holiday Tournament, which wrapped up on Dec. 20.

The Eagles' streak was snapped with a 60-46 setback to Lincoln-Way North in the Oak Lawn title game.

Some may have written the Eagles off when they opened the season 0-2 in the Hinsdale South tournament, dropping decisions to Reavis and Neuqua Valley.

But then the team started piling up the victories. Plainfield South was the first victim, followed by St. Ignatius, Stagg, Lincoln-Way Central, Andrew, Lincoln-Way East, Romeoville, De La Salle, Oak Lawn and Joliet Central.

"We started off a little rusty," senior Sam Youngwirth said. "But we thought we were going to have a really good season because we had a good summer. It's good to see we could have a nine-game winning streak. We're building and we're getting experience, and it's been good.''

"The Reavis game was disappointing, but we did well in the summer league," added junior Lauren O'Leary. "Even before the season started, we were talking about how this could be a great season. We were looking forward to it. This year we work a lot better as a team. We're passing the ball and setting each other up for shots. It's a lot of fun.''

The team has a good record, but the players had to work hard in games to keep it sparkling by surviving some close-call contests.

"We've done a good job playing under control,'' Youngwirth said. "When the other team gets some momentum, we're able to calm each other down and we've held on in some close games. We've been able to keep our control and keep our poise — even after a couple of turnovers.''